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Some advice from the experienced "flippers" among you?

This is the position I'm in now and I'm a little conflicted as to the best way to proceed. I'm going to finally give a fair attempt at using a wa-handled knife because it just seems that all the best blades out there are wa knives. Ive used yo-handled knives since I started cooking professionally 15 years ago, and therefore a wa handle just feels really strange, but i want to give myself a month with one and see what happens. I have, sitting on my desk still in the box, a beautiful Yoshikane gyuto just waiting to make its first cut.
So, here's the question for those of you who've turned over a lot of knives in your search for "the one." Should I go ahead and use the Yoshi for a while to determine whether or not I want to go with a wa-handled gyuto? Or sell it now while its still new, buy something "better" (Gengetsu, Heiji etc), and avoid having to sell it later and then buy another one?

I realize that the Yoshi is quite a good knife, but after reading all the comments on how incredibly well some of these other knives cut, I can't help but want to try one. I just don't know if I should test the waters with the Yoshi, or dive in the deep end with a Heiji or Gengetsu???

I realize that the Yoshi is quite a good knife, but after reading all the comments on how incredibly well some of these other knives cut, I can't help but want to try one. I just don't know if I should test the waters with the Yoshi, or dive in the deep end with a Heiji or Gengetsu???

All Opinions, experiences and advice appreciated.

the definition of cutting incredibly well is very broad and depends on the user, the knife , the edge on the knife. My advise is to try knives, reading reviews gives insight but does not equal in hand experience.

This may or may not be of any use to you. I had some western handled misono ux10's. They have all been sold.I was extremely fortunate to test a few different lengths of wa handled knives from Pensacola Tiger for the feel of different lengths. One was a Sakai wa gyuto in 270mm. It just felt right and still does. It felt like a natural extension of me. It was like the sky parted. He allowed me to buy it, and I will never ever sell it. Love how it feels. I went to KKF get together and some of the knives I got to pick up felt incredible. For me it is about feel. Depending on where you live maybe there is a place you can get some different ones in hand. If when you pick it up it feels great use it. If you don't like how it feels. Maybe look for something else. I now this all sounds ethereal, but I hope it helps.

This may or may not be of any use to you. I had some western handled misono ux10's. They have all been sold.I was extremely fortunate to test a few different lengths of wa handled knives from Pensacola Tiger for the feel of different lengths. One was a Sakai wa gyuto in 270mm. It just felt right and still does. It felt like a natural extension of me. It was like the sky parted. He allowed me to buy it, and I will never ever sell it. Love how it feels. I went to KKF get together and some of the knives I got to pick up felt incredible. For me it is about feel. Depending on where you live maybe there is a place you can get some different ones in hand. If when you pick it up it feels great use it. If you don't like how it feels. Maybe look for something else. I now this all sounds ethereal, but I hope it helps.

It's more about getting used to wa vs yo than one particular knife vs another. I'm so used to pinching right up against that concave section of bolster on a yo-handled knife and having the heel directly below that, that when I grab a wa-handled knife it feels really awkward. The lack of taper at the ferrule and the length of the machi put everything just far enough out of my comfort zone that I feel like a baby holding a knife for the first time.